Athletic game ball



Sept. 16,1941. M. B. REACH ATHLETIC GAME BALL Filed June 5, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Miltonflfleach,

M. B. REACH ATHLETIC GAME BALL Sept. 16, 1941.

2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed June 5, 1939 'J TiZi'on ,3. Reach Patented Sept. 16, 1941 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The invention concerns the structure of an athletic game ball.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a. diagrammatic sectional view of a portion of the wall of the ball built according to my invention.

Fig. 1a shows a further step in the method.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to that of Fig. l of a small portion of the wall with a cover applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is a-face view of a portion of the ball. Fig. 4 is a sectional viewjsimilar to Fig. l of another form of the invention. V

Figs. 4a and 4b are modifications. Fig. 5 is a face view of. part of Fig. 4 i. e. with the outermost layer of cord winding omitted.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the carcass partly formed and with one of the patch flaps turned back, the balloon cloth being omitted. In carrying out my invention a rigid form is employed. This may be in the form of a hollow member indicated at i made of wax or other material capable of reduction, for instance by melting or by shattering the material into small bits that are capable of removal through a comparatively small opening in the carcass which is built on the said form. v I On this form a layer of textile material! is applied. This may be a tubular knit fabric. say of oottonor like material, though I do not limit myself either to the form or material of this member. The tubular fabric is stressed both in the direction of its wales and the direction of its courses onto the form and is stretched in so doing and thereafter. it may be further stretched to the desired degree in any suitable manner, as by twisting the ends of the tubular member. In applying this first layer of the carcass wall cement is employed.- This may be used to coat the wax form, or it may be applied to the tubular knit fabric either before or after said fabric is drawn onto the wax form. Excess knit material at the ends of the tubular knit fabric may. now be cut away, and in each opening left thereby a patch I will be applied which may conslst=of balloon cloth which is practically non-stretchable;

This patch may be covered or impregnated with cement, which will fix said patch to the edge of the Opening in this tubular knit fabric and to a.

layer of textile material next applied as shown at 4. This last mentioned layer is in the form of cord which is wound on the foundation layer in great circles until the entire surface is covered.

"This cord will be united with the foundation lay er 2 of stockinette or other material by the 'ce:

ment with which the said foundation layer is impregnated, or by reason of the cement applied in any other suitable way, and it will unite also with the patch I by the cement which is suitably applied. The next step in the method of making the ball is to cut through the cord winding and.

through the balloon cloth patch as indicated at 5 down to the wax form. This step is performed after the cement has dried sufliciently so that the severance produced by the cut will remain effective 'for the subsequent removal, displacement or manipulation of the cut out portions. The cut at 5 is made a short distance, preferably from the margin of the balloon cloth patch I, leaving a narrow portion orstrip 5a underlying the inner edge of the main part of the out cord winding to bind together the ends of the cord where the cut took place. A plate of metal 6 is now placed on the cord winding in registry substantially with the area isolated by the cut I, but extending outwardly beyond the out so as to overlie the main body of the cord winding, and reaching for this purpose substantially to the point I. A second layer of cord [is wound on the first layer 4 in great circles, and also over the metal plate 8. This second winding of textile material is laid in or with cement so that it will unite with the first layer to form in effect one body wall which is non-stretchable.

After this second layer has set sufliciently, that portion of it which is in substantial registry with the metal plate is cut through at 9, Fig. 1, slightly within the margin of the plate 8,. but out of registry with the cut I through the previous 35 cord winding and to the outside of said out so that the cut out section ll will be of greater diameter than the previous cut outsection l-l and will overlap the margin of the foundation cord layer 4, where the latter is cut out at I. The

spaceappearing at a: in Fig. 1a is that left in the layer of cord winding I by the removal of the cut out portion thereof, but it will be understood that after this cut out portion is removed so that the plate I can be removed, said out out portion may be replaced temporarilyto free space a: to receive I plate I above it for cutting out the next layer of cord winding after this is applied. Therefore;

after the cut out is made at 0-! the section thereby formed is removed and the plate t is then removed and then the same or preferably a larger plate is placed outside this second layer of cord winding [but in reglstrationas before with the cut out sections. Next a third winding ll Fig. 1a of cord now can-be laid in or with cement on the second layer of cord windingand over the layer) can be removed and the plate then can be removed. 7

These sections which are cut out and removed ation is sufilcient to enter" interstices amt coat out at !---9. This third cut out section (of third are subsequently to be employed as patches to rebuild the wall at the cut out portion thereof.

When they have been removed the wax form is reduced either by melting or by shattering the same into portions or particles small enough to be readily discharged through the opening through the carcass wall which is produced as v above described.

After the material of the form has been reduced and removed as just mentioned, a bladder a of substantially ordinary form is inserted into the non-stretchable carcass formed as above described, said bladder having any suitable filling valve, and then the bladder is blown up to bear against the inner side of the non-stretch- V able carcass.

The stem of the self-closing filling valve may extend through any suitable opening in the carcass wall, or through an opening formed in the cut out portion above described. 1

Next the patches formed by the several cut out actions above described are replaced into their respective positions and fixed by cement. strong union is formed by the restored sections or patches which overlie and are cemented to the margin of the main body of the layers at the opening. The inner patch of ballooncloth can be cemented to the inflated bladder, also at its edge to the edge of .the main body of the first layer which which it is in line and it is cemented also to replaced sections or.patches of cord winding, v I

The metal plate may be substituted by a plate of any other substance which is hard enough to afford a table upon which the cutting out actions of the textile layers can be performed.

By the use of a single thin plate in the carcass at a time,,for each of the cutting operations (which use virtually involves the shifting of the plate from layer to layer), the thickness of the composite patch will substantially approxithe winding thread with the protective coating of rubber necessary to prevent cutting of the thread through abrasion that might otherwise take place in the ordinary flexing of the walls limited to the use of the same identical plate for all the cutting operations, but only to indicate that there is not an aggregation of plates in place at any one time prior to performing the cutting out of the patch. The plate may be used as a guide to do the cutting, or, as before mentioned, as an anvil member.

These cut out sections though made of short strands of cord become collectively one piece members when said strands are united by the cement, and are handled as one body.

Because the carcass composed of the lamina- .tions' of textile material and the cement when set is substantially non-stretchable, it is determinative of the size and shape of the ball.

mate the thickness of-the main body of the carcass wall, and will avoid the building up of extra material in the layers where the patch occurs, one object being to provide a composite patch within an opening in the main part of the composite body wall which will be substantially of equal thickness, strength, and reaction to erably by .dipping. Each individual layer of winding'is completely dried before the ball reenters the winding machine for the succeeding operation. 7

It is during this interval also that the patch is formed, and preferably after the winding has dried.

'An advantage is obtained by applying the necessary rubber content to each layer of winding as described, asan ordinary dipping oper- Because the carcass is built upon a rigid form it is determinative oi the size and shape of the ball. Furthermore the winding of the cord takes place against the foundation provided by the rigid form. The winding can be carried on with the desired tightness owing to the rigidity of the form, thus eliminating the possibility of misshaping the'carcass at any point which might occur if the winding took place upon a yielding backing. It is of advantage also to apply the first textile layer in the form of a textile fabric because the cord winding will have a suitable surface with which to contact, and thereby insure its retention in the position in which it is laid. This is true of the pre-fabricated layer or knitted fabric which has been stretched on the form before the winding of the cord thereon takes place. g

The first cord winding will afford a proper foundation upon which the next cord winding is laid with assurance that it will retain the position in which it is laid.

However, I do not'limit myself to winding one 'layer of cord upon a preceding layer as cord winding'layers may be alternate with layers of' material built on a rigid form and patched, the

next step is to apply a cover, as at b.

This is applied in pieces of leather or like material after the non-stretchable carcass has been distended to the limit determined by building it up on the rigid 'form, and this distention is due to blowing up the bladder which it now contains. These pieces of leather may be simply laid on the carcass with their edges adjacent, but not necessarily abutflng so that channels will be left between the said edges which may be left open. The sections of the cover are cemented to the carcass. They are not sewed together because they are not relied on to exercise restraint on, the carcass against further distention, the limit for this being determined, as hereinbefore stated.jby the non-stretchable characterofthecarcasa,

The carcass is flexible. No sewing is .done either in the carcass nor in the cover, and hence the ball is free from variables which sewing produces.

The invention may be carried out in producing a spherical ball such as a basket ball, or for other purposes. When used to produce an ellipsoidal ball the cord winding, of course, would not be laid on in great circles, but the turns would be laid on side by side. I

By employing a hollow form whose material is reducible as by melting or by shattering it into bits the opening in thr wall of the carcass may be of minimum size 1 nd the main part of the wall which is imperforate may be of maximum extent, and by reason of the patch which is fitted within said small opening being of the same character and thickness as the main wall and flush with the outer surface of said main wall, the carcass wall as awhole will present uniformity throughout and avoid the occurrence of variables, which would produce reactions not uniform at all points in its contactwith the floor or other surfaces.

The-opening in the carcass may be made at any desired point instead of the region where the open end of the tubular fabric may occur. That is to say, the opening may be made through the body of the wall of the carcass at any point thereof.

The patch of balloon cloth ties the strands of the adjacent cord windings together. The same is true of the knit fabric. Before applying the cover, the ball is subjected to suitable heat and pressure to effect uniting the parts.

For convenience of illustration, the actual proportions of the parts, as well as the relative proportions thereoi, have not been embodied in the drawings, so that no limitation is imposed on the scope of the claims in this regard. For instance, the anvil plate in actual practice is much thinner than shown in the drawings, and the size or diameter of the opening filled by the patch may e relatively smaller than shown.

In the foregoing description, I have disclosed patches which are completely out out, but in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, I disclose patches which remain attached to their respective main portions of opening through which the material of the form 'and the deflated bladder are passed. The result of making the cut'at 80 through the cord winding layer la and, the balloon cloth disc to which it is cemented is to leave a narrow marginal portion of this balloon cloth at Be as a binding for the edge of the main body layer of cord wind- -ing, it being understood that the cut ends of the layers at one point, so that they can be turned back about this connection after the fashion of a hinge. The innermost patch Ia, Fig. 4, can be made up of a portion ofthe first lamination 20 of tubular knit fabric, a part of a small layer of balloon cloth 3b, and a portion 30 of the first layer of cord winding, which layer is indicated at la. This composite patch member is cut out in substantially rectangular form, as indicated in dotted lines 31:, Fig. 5, so as to turn about a portion 31! serving as a hinge. Next, a disc of thin non-stretchable balloon cloth lb of limited area is laid on the cord winding layer la in registration with the innermost patch in, and a layer of cord winding la is laid'by a winding machine over the layer la, and over the balloon cloth disc 8b, and this layer of cord windthe cord forming the mesh of this layer are not only cemented together when they cross each other, but are also cemented to the marginal strip 8e which, therefore, acts as a binding for this margin of the cut cord mesh.

The mesh of crossing thread formed by winding in great circles is indicated in Figs. 3,, 5 and 6. This is representative of each individual layer of cord winding. This mesh being made up of the cord crossing itself, as a result of winding it in great circles, and cementing of the portions of the cord together at the crossing points, is self-contained in the sense that it will constitute a flap or patch even though the disc of balloon cloth or other fabric is not present.

For convenience of illustration, I have not attempted to show in the sectional views, Figs. 1'

' cles with the cord crossing itself many times,

as indicated in Fig. 3; also in Figs.- 5 and 6. I have also indicated in Fig. 6 that fabric such as balloon cloth may be omitted, reliance being had upon the crossing of the cord of each layer to provide the self-contained textile mesh thereof, whether in the main body; or in one or more of the flaps or patches;

A third layer of cord winding may be applied to the ballin great circles, and with the cord crossing itself many times, like that shown at in in Fig. 5, it being understood that for convenience and clarity, this third layer is omitted in Fig. 5.

This third layer is indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 4, at Illa, no attempt being made in this cross sectional illustration to show the crossing of the cord in the winding by great circles. Before applying this third layer of cord winding, a member lilb of pre-fabricated textile material, such as thin balloon cloth, is applied outside the winding 8a and in registration with the patched area, and this layer, which, like the other layers of balloon cloth, is non-stretchable, iscut through, together with the third layer of cord winding, at lllc, but is left intact at one point to form a hinge allowing this patch member to be turned back in order to expose the opening for the removal of the reduced material of the bladder.

' between this flap or patch member is located at ing, together with the balloon cloth 8b, is cut through at to throughout the major portion of a circle, leaving an intact hinge portion at 8d,

' so that the flap thus formed of the balloon cloth and the superposed cord winding can be turned back leftward in Fig. 4 for the removal of the wax form and the insertion of the bladder. The direction of turning of this patch in flap form is opposite to the direction in which the composite flap or patch at in is turned for uncovering the of the United States No. 2,116,479, dated May 3,

a different angular position about the opening from where the intact or hinge portions of the other patches are located, as in Letters Patent The patches or flaps increase in diameter in respect to each other, the inner one being the smallest, and theouter one being the largest, so that each patch, excepting the innermost, at its margin will overliethe marginal portion of the main body layer next below it.

Idonot umi mrae tg nthare In forming the patches or naps of Figs. 4 5, the process described in connection with Figs.

"1,2,and3iscarriedoutsofarastheuseofthe.

plate 8 is concerned, which is employed as an anvil for doing the cutting thereupon. or as a guide or pattern for making the patch. said plate being shifted from layer to layer as the work of building up the patchedarea p 1- use of the non-stretchable fabri-d windings which are laid tightly in place, the

the cord patched area is non-extensible, and this is true also of the main body of the carcass made up of the. tightly applied cord winding impregnated with cement, and cemented one layer to another.

. This specification is a continuation in part of application for Letters Patent of the United States Serial No. 260,203, died March 6, 1939, in-

and-

- Bythe,

spec't. Mention may be madefin thi m tion, as indicating the scope of this part of. the invention, that these margins of reinforcing material to which the cut cord windings are attached by cement. may be sewedtogether; though I prefer not to employ sewed seams at all in the ballstructure.

I prefer to cement to the exterior lamination of cord winding in great circles as described, a sub-surfacing layer, preferably of balloon cloth which is non-stretchable, and which will 'compensate for any slight irregularities arising from the winding operation. This is indicated in Fig. 4 at Id. Upon this sub-surfacing lamination, the cover panels of leather or like material are comented.

volving method claims. Also of 128,672,"March 2; 1937, and 144,938, May 28, 1937. v

The ball carcass made up as above described is determinative of the size and shape of the ball,

because its'inflation-is limited to a definite size by reason of its non-stretchable character.

- Hence, a cover can be employed which is made up of separate panels of leather or like material cemented onto the carcass, no sewing together of the parts of the cover being required. The panel pieces of this-cover member are indicated at II.

The bladder may be cemented directly to the inner layer of textile fabric and the cover directly to the cord winding, and the latter in laminations may constitute the entire carcass structure be- I tween the bladder and the cover except for the l .inner layer of pre-fabricatedtextile material.

Where a feature of one form of the invention may be embodied in the organization of anotherform, it is to be considered as existing therein.

It will be seen that the laminations of cord winding provide a ball'which when cemented together ready for .use present a substantially homogeneous carcass portion including the mesh sections constituting the patches.

. The use of'th'e layer or patch of balloon cloth over which the cord winding is applied and cemented thereto acts as a reinforcing means at the area where the cutting out action is performed through the cord, it being observed that the cutting is continued through this layer and necessarily in registration with the cut through the cord winding. It is a reinforce in the sensef that it holdsthe strands of cord cemented thereto in proper position for the cut to be made conveniently, and when made,fiit holds the cut ends in their initial relation to each other. thus avoiding the occurrence of loose cut ends. liable to'becom'e misplaced. All of this is true also of the out ends of the cord windings at the edge of the main body. of the carcass defining the opening left by the cutting out of the patch from the main body. In other words, when the cutting is completed through both the cord winding lamination; or iaminations. and the layer of vided a binding for eachof the opposing marsinsalong oppositesides of the cut through'the cordwindings, each binding holding together the I do notlimit myself to the shape of the cut made through the cord winding inorder to provide for the removal of the reduced rigid form and the insertion of, the bladder, but it is of importancein closing this opening to. restore the carcass wall at this point, that the margin of the out be reinforced by a layer of material. forinstanoe, balloon cloth, to act as a binding along said margin to which binding member the cut ends of the cord windings remain cemented.

.Neither do I limit myself to any particular way of aiiixiug the margins along thecut in place.

I have before stated that the of the first layer of textile fabric applied to the form provides a suitable surface for receiving. and holding against displacement the winding of textile material applied thereto. The surface thus 'afmay be applied in segments cemented edge to edge upon the outer layer Ila of cord winding.

This outer layer of cord winding may be-that of Fig. 4, which includes the outermost patch of which a portion of said outer layer forms a part,

or another layer of cord winding its, Fig. 4a,

may be applied on the layer llo'and over its patch llc-llc, and this outer layer is not cut through, but is intact throughout so that it acts as a reinforce for'the patches against gas pressure within the This construction is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 4a, the layers for convenience being shownas flat instead'of curved. and. only'the' layers constituting'thoj cover if, thesubsurfacing layer id of balloon cloth. the reinforcing or uncut cord winding llz,

the cord winding Ila. and the patching disc or balloon cloth or other material, there will be pro- I ,out'end portions of the cord on its side'of the. -cut or-slit. this being true whether the-cut is a I layer of balloon cloth llbbeing shown, the other layers shown in Fig. 4 being omitted for convenlanes of illustration. The subsurfacing layer it! as shownin Fig. 4b

may have a layer ofmoldable material as rubber between itself and the cover II. This moldable material is shown at". 'Ihesubsuri'acing layer serves to close the interstices of the cord -windinglayerunderlylngitandinsuresthatthemold-' able-material will flow as intended, when heat antipressureofthemoldisappliediniiniming 'intospaces betwem'thesectiom orpiecesofthe cover II. This will form-a rib- II which .is grooved for flight directionandforaiingerhold. 'lhedrawings Fig. 4!: for convenience shows only the three layers of material mentioned above 1. e. the cover, the moldable material as rubber, the subsurfacing layer and the uncut layer lilac of cord winding, but it will be understood that other inner layers making up the carcass are used in practice, but are omitted here for the convenience of illustration.

Where, in the foregoing disclosure, a feature of one figure can be incorporated in another figure or form without essential change, it is to be considered as being embodied in said form.

I claim:

1. An inflatable spherical athletic game ball, of the type having a form shaped carcass, consisting of laminations of textile windings lying in substantially great circles in a cemented relationship to an underlying prefabricated textile member, said carcass having permanent meansclosing an opening in its wall, and substantially restoring the carcass to its required shape, strength, and trueness, non-stretchable textile binding means cemented to the textile windings adjacent the closure means to hold them together, a sub-surfacing member to smooth out irregularities in the windings and homogeneously or cohesively united to the laminated textile windings, and a cover of leather or other suitable finishing panels cemented to the subsurfacin member in a bonded relationship.

2. An inflatable athletic game ball having a carcasscomprising a lamination of cord windings, substantially in great circles, a 'patch in said lamination consisting of an integrally connected continuation of said lamination of cord windings textile fabric upon which said cord patch is cemented, textile fabric of limited extent underlying the said lamination only at the margin of said lamination adjoining said patch and cemented to said lamination to bind together end portions of the cord windings of said lamination.

3. An inflatable athletic game ball, of the type having a form shaped carcass, comprising cord windings substantially in great circles having a cut therethrough, and a layer of reinforcing ma-' terial of restricted extent localized to and cemented along each margin of the said out through the cord windings, binding together the end portions of said cord windings at each margin. i

, 4. An inflatable athletic game ball according to claim 3 in which the layer of reinforcing material has a,cut therethrough in registration with the cut through the cord windings and the main body of the carcass is made of said cord windings bonded together, and to a layer of material underlying the cord windings.

5. An inflatable spherical athletic game ball having a carcass comprising textile windings substantially in great circles, a patch in said textile windings closing an opening therethrough and comprising a textile mesh with textile fabric cemented to and binding together the strands of said mesh, and textile fabric cemented to and binding together end portions of the textile windings of the main wall of the carcass along the margin thereof adjacent the said patch, substantially as described.

6. An inflatable game ball acording to claim 5 in which a reinforcement of textile windings on the carcass extends over the patch to strengthen the same against pressure from within the,

carcass.

'7. A spherical athletic game ball, of the type having a form shaped carcass, comprising textile windings substantially in great circles on an underlying layer of material having a friction surface holding said windings against slippage, means permanently closing an opening in said carcass, binding means for the textile windings at the margin of the closed opening and holding end portions of the-textile windings together, and with the wall at this point. of substantially the same strength, shape and reaction as the main wall of the carcass.

8. An inflatable athletic game .ball, of the type having a form-shaped carcass, comprising windings' of cord in great circles, means closing an opening therethrough, prefabricated material cemented to said cord windings at the region of said closure and holding the said cord windings together, and a subsequent layer of cord windings extending continuously over said closure to reinforce the same at the area of said closure to prevent bulging.

9. An inflatable spherical athletic game ball having a carcass in which a textile cord winding layer is superposed upon another layer of textile material, said layers having each a patch therein of substantially equal thickness, strength and reaction as the main part of the layer to which it belongs, said patches being in like relation to a radial line of the ball, the patch in said cord winding layer, like the said layer itself, being of cord lying in great circles and the cord at its crossing points being cemented together to form a fabricated layer in respect to both the patch and the main layer within which it is located.

10. An inflatable ball according to claim 9 in which the edge portions of the patch layers, including the cord winding, are out of registration with each other, and likewise out of registration with the edge portion of the carcass to provide an overlapping joint between the patches and the carcass, substantially as described.

11. A game ball having a substantially nonstretchable inflatable carcass which is determinative of the size and shape of the ball, said carcass being formed of laminations of textile stretchable, flexible carcass of textile material with means for inflating it, said carcass having 4 a patch closing an opening in said carcass, cord winding over said carcass and patch and cover material in pieces cemented in place, substantially as described.

13. An inflatable spherical athletic game ball, of the type having a form shaped carcass, comprising textile windings substantially in great circles, means permanently closing an opening in said windings, binding means for the textile windings at the margin of the closed opening holding together end portions of the textile windings, and with the wall at this point of substantially the same strength, shape and reaction as the main wall of the carcass, the textile windings being cemented together at their crossing points.

14. An inflatable athletic game ball, of the type having a form shaped carcass, comprising cord windings in substantially great circles having patch means therein permanently closing an opening through said carcass, layers of reinforc- 7 cord mesh and layers of reinforcing material cemented thereto, said patch means overlapping said shoulders and cemented thereto, the strands I of cord mesh being cemented together at their 5 crossing points, substantially as described.

mL'roN B. amen. 

